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ABSTRACT
This article comprises detailed information about L-asparaginase, encompassing topics such as microbial and plant sources of L-asparaginase, treatment with L-asparaginase, mechanism of action of L-asparaginase, production, purification, properties, expression and characteristics of l-asparaginase along with information about studies on the structure of L-asparaginase. Although L-asparaginase has been reviewed by Savitri and Azmi (2003), our effort has been to include recent and updated information about the enzyme covering new aspects such as structural modification and immobilization of Lasparaginase, recombinant L-asparaginase, resistance to L-asparaginase, methods of assay of L-asparagine and L-asparaginase activity using the biosensor approach, L-asparaginase activity in soil and the factors affecting it. Also, sideeffects of L-asparaginase treatment in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been discussed in the current review. L-asparaginase has been and is still one of the most widely studied therapeutic enzymes by researchers and scientists worldwide.
KEYWORDS L-asparaginase, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), recombinant, biosensor, immobilization, therapeutic
BACKGROUND
A pre-requisite for making an effective medication for the treatment of cancer is that some fundamental difference between normal cells and cancer cells must be defined. The chemotherapeutic agent must exploit this cellular difference in such a way that normal cells are spared and only cancer cells are injured. L-asparaginase exploits the unusually high requirement tumor cells have for the amino acid asparagine.
INTRODUCTION
The enzyme L-asparaginase has been a clinically acceptable anti tumor agent for the effective treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphosarcoma. L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amino hydrolase, E.C.3.5.1.1) catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia.
L-asparagine is a major requirement by the cells for the production of protein. It can be produced within the cell by an enzyme called asparagine synthetase or can be absorbed from the outside (consumed in the diet, absorbed into the body and made available to the body's cells). Tumor cells, more specifically lymphatic tumor cells, require huge amounts of asparagine to keep up with their rapid malignant growth. Thus, the asparagine from the diet as well as what can be made by themselves (which is limited) is utilized by them to satisfy their large asparagine demand. Therefore L-asparagine is an essential amino acid for the growth of tumor cells, whereas the growth of normal cells is not dependent on its requirement as...